Teacher’s Notes
On Making Music, And On Making Musicians
I’d like to share with you something that I begin every lesson relationship with in my studio. Sometimes as a talk, sometimes as a written letter, but always as a precursor to what I hope will become a lifetime relationship between the student I’m about to begin teaching and the music they will hopefully master…
On Music Lessons and On Stopping Versus Failing
I read a post the other day that got me thinking of something really important I’ve been meaning to write about for some time: the idea that not everyone who takes music lessons has to or is meant to become a professional musician, a good musician, or even a functional musician. Often in my teaching…
The Function of Music
As a teacher, I spend my time with my students both helping them to understand music as well as make it, and one of my favorite conversations with them is talking about why they make music as well as why I make music. There are always the usual pat answers when it comes to the…